As a woman is walking through the woods one evening, she sees a ghost. She runs into the village tavern where Xena and Gabrielle are relaxing. When she tells everyone what she saw, Xena goes to investigate. The ghost is her friend Marcus. He tells her that there are problems on the other side and that he needs her help. As he is telling her to go to the Alconian lake, several other ghosts come and grab him. Xena watches helplessly as he disappears. Gabrielle doesn’t like the idea of how Xena must travel to the underworld. But she knows that the warrior needs to see how she can help her friend. The bard promises to make camp there and wait for her.
When Xena gets to the underworld, Marcus meets her. He tells her that Atyminius has stolen Hades helmet of invisiblity and with it he has sent the good souls to Tarturas while the evil souls are in the Elysian Fields. The two travel to the Fields and shortly thereafter Atyminius appears. He realizes that Xena is still alive and tries to get the others to kill her. But she diverts attention by getting the others to fight for the helmet. Atyminius makes himself invisible and leaves. Xena and Marcus then go to see Hades. He has been locked inside his castle. When he realizes that Atyminius may have returned to the world of the living, he tells Xena that the murderer can be killed again. The warrior asks Hades to give Marcus his life back so that he can help her. The god reluctantly does so, giving him only 48 hours to live.
Atyminius appears before Gabrielle. He intends for her to be his first victim. But she fights him off with her staff and tries to run away. He knocks her down and is prepared to kill her when Xena and Marcus return to the shore. The murderer again makes himself invisible, retreating after Xena and Marcus injure him. The trio tracks him through the forest by the blood from his wound. But the trail soon ends and they are forced to make camp. The next day they encounter some men who were attacked. They had been on their way to a festival celebrating a wedding. Atyminius’ favorite targets were usually brides on the night of their ceremonial bathing. They reach the village and go to speak to the father of the bride. They tell him it would be best if Xena took the bride’s place that evening for the bathing, hoping to use that to catch Atyminius.
written by R.J. Stewart
directed by Garth Maxwell
music by Joseph LoDucaGuest Cast: Bobby Hosea (Marcus), Chris Graham (Toxeus), Michael Hurst (Charon), Erik Thomson (Hades), Paul Willis (Atyminius), Michelle Armstrong (Young Woman), Chantelle Brownlee (Bride), Geoff Clendon (Bride’s Father), John Palmer (Traveler)
LogBook entry by Mary Terrell